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THE 

KAISER'S TEMPTATION 



An Historical Play dealing with 
the causes of the Great War 
Designed for High Schools, Col- 
leges, and Community work in 
raising funds for School Equip- 
ment and for War Charities 



Copyright 1918 by John C. Mount joy 



JOHN C. MOUNTJOY 

Publisher 
2043 Mohawk Street, Chicago, 111. 



■ I 



©GLD 5Q633 

m 30 1918 



31 5^^ 



CHARACTERS. 



PART I. . 



Kaiser, 

Devil, 

Bismarck. 



PART II. 

Father Time. _ 

r 
Retinue ] ^- Progress. 

(2. Liberty. 
Kaiser. 
Germania, 
Belgia, 
French Republic, 

(or French soldier). 



Italia, 

JoHx Bull, 
Republic, 

Uncle Sam. 



(or Italian soldier). 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/kaiserstemptatioOOmoun 



THE KAISER'S TEMPTATION. 

The Kaiser's Temptation was written in response to a de- 
mand for a high school play showing why our country is at war. 

As it is desirable to intersperse music we would suggest that 
the National air of each country be sung or played with the ap- 
pearance on the stage of each: RepubHc, Belgia, French Re- 
public, Italia and John Bull. Every community has its musi- 
cians, a committee of one or more of which may be appointed 
to take charge of the music. 

The costuming is not difficult if directed by tactful, well read 
club women. By making free use of cheese cloth and by bor- 
rowing arms, etc., from fraternal lodges, the effect is almost 
as pleasing as can be made by visiting a professional costumer. 

The success of the play will largely depend on assigning to 
the right person the principal character, the Kaiser. 

The stage setting should be of a military nature. 

PART L 

— Enter Kaiser and Devil — 

Kaiser: I rule alone. Even the Iron Chancellor could not 
dictate to me. 

Devil: I would not dare dictate — only suggest as a war lord 
or junker. 

Kaiser: I have ruled as though peace were its own end, not 
simply tolerated to get ready for glorious war, yet what other 
nation by peaceful means alone ever rose faster? Science and 
efficiency have made Germany a smiling, prosperous land, — a 
world model in field and factory ; — our sails whiten every sea, 
our merchants penetrate every land, students from all nations 
seek our universities, and the world grows German. Why then 
risk war when peace is already giving world domination? 

Devil: Yet are your conquests of peace made possible by 
the wars of your fathers. You know the story of Prussia. Fred- 
erick drew the sword to enlargen his kingdom. Success justified 
any means necessary to realize itself. He betrayed friends, he 
broke treaties, but he overcame his enemies and became THE 
GREAT. 

Kaiser: While I, the war lord, have fully prepared for "Der 
Tag," so that I am now ready to crush my enemies and then 
exact an appalling indemnity in money and in land, still I hesi- 
tate to take the risk of arousing against us coalitions for which 
we are not prepared. 

Devil: Success has marked your slow conquest of peace. 
Greater success will mark your sudden conquest of war. Your 
spies fill every land. Germany alone is ready to strike. Her 



surprise guns, surprise submarines, surprise aeroplanes, and 
surprise poisonous gases make her invincible. 

Kaiser: We need Belgium and shall seize her, but suppose 
she resist. Should she delay us, victory over France may be- 
come costly in German blood. We need my soldiers for further 
conquests. We shall strike terror to the world by showing no 
mercy. Then what of the indemnity of world hate toward 
all that is German? Will the trade-mark, ''Made in Germany,'' 
be longer accepted? 

Devil: Resentment against a victorious general is soon for- 
gotten. Think of the glory of a quick conquest of France by 
taking Paris. You need the coal and iron mines of Northern 
France for the war after the w^ar. You need the channel ports. 
A strong German peace will give you all 

Kaiser: Suppose that England should now awake to her 
peril rather than peacefully to await our good time to strike. 
She may take the Belgian treaty seriously. 

Devil: No *'mere scrap of paper'' will bring her to the res- 
cue, as she has only a ''contemptible little army." With your 
spies and propaganda already at work in Ireland, in South 
Africa, in Egypt, and in India she dare not move. 

Kaiser: Brittania still rules the wave. 

Devil: But German submarines rule beneath the wave. You 
need England's war and merchant fleets to make you invincible. 

Kaiser: With all my hatred for England, the world realizes 
that she "uses her power wisely and oppresses none. 

Devil: Then talk loudly of the "freedom of the seas" as 
though Germany's rule of the seas would not be for Germany 
alone. 

Kaiser: Again, Russia may mobilize in time to give trouble. 

Devil: Vodka will prevent such a calamity. Assured by 
your spies and by your propaganda, you know that treachery 
and anarchy will prevent any serious trouble from this sleeping 
giant whose fertile plains are destined as GermanyV "Place in 
the Sun." 

Kaiser: May not an enlightened world become shocked at 
the robbery, and, refusing to believe that we are attacked, form 
a league of nations against us in war or in trade, and so prevent 
the full fruitage of our crimes — world dominion? 

Devil: You, too, have your allies ; Austria, Bulgaria and 
Turkey — Mittel-Europa. It matters little in final results whether 
a nation calls itself your friend or foe. It will be German. 

Kaiser: Austria is already tottering to her fall. 

Devil: Then the Emperor will lean the more heavily on 
your sword arm. 



Kaiser: The unspeakable. Turk is poor company for a self- 
respecting nation. 

Devil: Think of Constantinople and the Dardanelles, consid- 
er the marvelous fertility of Mesopotamia — all yours by peaceful 
means. Here, too, is the key which will unlock the door to 
greater conquests of war and peace. 

Kaiser: Will success justify the possible slaughter of mil- 
lions of Germans, not to count the tens of milHons of our ene- 
mies? 

Devil: Be very devout. Claim divine guidance in murder- 
ing every devoted mother and innocent child. Claim to fight 
only because you are ''attacked," and then reluctantly with God 
to save the Fatherland. "Gott mit Uns." 

Kaiser: My people may again rebel as they did in 1848. 
They are staggering under a crushing load of war taxes and 
socialism threatens. 

Devil: Dazzle by a spectacular victory. Make your enemies 
pay the taxes. A successful ''defensive war" will perpetuate 
your power. Kultur has seen that in home, in school, in church, 
in literature, in philosophy is taught the doctrine of the super- 
man. You are the direct instrum.ent of God in ruling your 
people. What is taught the child is remembered by the man. 

Kaiser: Other nations than our allies and Russia have long 
since rejected such philosophy. While we 3'et contend that crime 
is virtue if committed for the Fatherland, that weak nations 
have no inherent rights, that no treaty need bind Germany, and 
that the German sword and German kultur must rule the world, 
why has not the democratic world taken the alarm? 

Devil: Because such philosophy is unthinkable in a democ- 
racy. It is thought but the ravings of a few mad dreamers and 
criminals. Democracy still sleeps. Strike before the growing 
giant awakes to the impending danger! 

Kaiser: What other assurance have we that our ambitious 
dreams may materialize? 

Devil: History. Let Prince Bismarck show you but a leaf 
from German history. 
— (Enter Bismarck — ) 

Bismarck: You rejected my council — though I stand for au- 
tocracy. When in 18'62 I was selected as adviser to William 
I of Prussia, I soon checked his liberal ideas. Germany was 
then composed of many weak, independent states and cities. I 
dreamed united Germany and with a statesman's vision planned 
for its consummation. The first step was an invincible army. 
With this powerful machine, we seized the two Danish provinces, 
Schleswig and Holstein, that we might not only try out the army 
and enlarge Prussian territory, but that we might find a pre- 



text to crush Austria. Under the miHtary genius of Von Moltke, 
we quickly conquered Denmark and later Austria. I then in- 
sisted on easy terms for Austria that she might be an ally — 
almost a vassal — in future, for a growing nation like Germany 
needs a friend. 

For many reasons we sought a "defensive war" with France. 
While this nation under the weak Napoleon III had the name 
of being a great military power, our spies reported her true 
condition. We played safe, knowing an easy victory awaited us. 
Paris soon fell and France yielded. A strong peace brought a 
billion dollar indemnity ; trade concessions ; and last but not 
least, a united Germany under the leadership of Prussia. Then 
followed the conquest of peace. While we grew in army and 
navy, in industry and trade, in wealth and influence, we patient- 
ly awaited and prepared for what the pan-German knew would 
arrive, ''Der Tag." 
— (Exit.. Bismarck) 

Devil: If a Bismarck can chart the future seas and steer 
the ship of state so far toward the harbor of universal dominion, 
what cannot the royal William do? 

Kaiser: vShow me the German world to be. 

Devil: Say rather, "Show me the world," for the world 
must be German. The earth is not large enough for autocracy 
and democracy, for kultur and freedom. — Exit, Devil. — 

Kaiser: (soliloquy) The world's supreme decision is mine. 
"Der Tag" has come. Old things are passed away. While I see 
the possoible consequences, — the rivers of blood, — the appalling 
devastation, I am strong enough to ''shut the gates of mercy 
on mankind." My sword shall carve my destiny and bring a 
world to my feet. I am the very apex of the ages. JNIittel-Eu- 
ropa will rule the world ; Germany is Mittel-Europa ; Prussia 
rules Germany : and I rule Prussia. Everything is ready. Kul- 
tur has done her work. Before our waiting millions in her 
fancied security, lies peaceful Belgium ; behind will remain but 
a vassal or ashes. I see the gray stream rushing forward with 
its surprises in guns and gas. It overflows Belgium and northern 
France and on into Paris. Then follows a quick, strong Ger- 
man peace, with billions of indemnity and with augmented ter- 
ritory. Crushed France will never more rise. The receding tide 
will overwhelm the Russian bear before she is fully awake. Her 
vast plains are our ''Place in the sun." 

Our allies shall be conquered by diplomacy. . Our soldiers 
lead their armies, our statesmen shape their policies, henceforth 
they are German. The Berlin-Bagdad R. R. will combine and 
unify Alittel-Europa, — the central entity of the world — the key 
to Egypt and Africa, to India and the riches of the east. For 



the present I ignore England and America. They shall not 
finally escape. 

The best excuse seems to be that Austria totters and Ger- 
many alone can save the autocracy. An Austrian subject on 
Austrian territory has nuirdered the crown prince and his con- 
sort. Push the aged emperor Franz Joseph into a declaration 
of war against little Servia. The Russian bear will show his 
teeth. I will then loudly proclaim that I am basely attacked. 
My people have been taught to believe anything we tell them, my 
sword will convince my enemies, and propoganda the neutral 
world. I assume the responsibility! Autocracy can no longer 
brook the encroachment of democracy. When the world awakes, 
it will be German. 

Attention— ^MOBILIZE' ! 

— (Exit, Kaiser) — 



PART II— SCENE I. 

Re-enter Kaiser armed, preceded by Germania bound and 
the Devil. 

Kaiser: Three years of wasting war shows how deceptive 
is your false philosophy. 

Devil: You eagerly adopted every suggestion. 

Kaiser: Frightfulness has reacted. The submarine warfare 
has brought into the contest America to turn the tide against me. 

Devil: What is wrong with your propaganda? 

Kaiser: Everything' We are the laughing stock of Amer- 
ica and the world. 

Devil: Make Hindenburg responsible for all failures and 
claim for your royal highness all successes. 

Kaiser: That have I attempted, yet much as I hate Von 
Hindenburg, I must hear him lauded for our victories, while I 
am fairly hissed for our defeats. 

Deznl: When through with him, dismiss this general as you 
did Bismarck. 

Kaiser: Why, he already lords it over me and I have to 
submit. 

Devil: You cannot afford to weaken now in your plans. 
Take warning from the fate of Nicholas, the only decent czar. 
Be strong or lose all. 

Kaiser: Germany, bled white, totters even now. 

Devil: Win the war! Germans will then write history and 
call you the Great. Lose and the world will hate you as the 
arch hypocrite of the ages. 
— Exeunt. 



PART II— SCENE II. 

Enter Father Time, bearing scythe and hour-glass. Progress, 
Liberty, each draped. 

Father Time: Three years ago the world was at peace, now 
the nations of Europe are grappled in the throes of the greatest 
war of all time. 

Progress: History is writing her saddest chapter. To the 
Prussian, the cheapest thing is human life, the least desired 
honor. Germany sacrifices the flower of her manhood to bolster 
up a vicious antequated system of government, and to acquire 
universal dominion. On the other hand, the choicest spirits of 
the free nations are making the supreme sacrifice that they and 
others may live the higher life. Is there nothing that we can 
do to stop this ebb tide of hate toward savagery? The noble 
allies, who have so long prevented the collapse of civilization, are 
hard pressed. 

Liberty: A great nation of liberty and peace is ready to join 
in giving the death blow to autocracy. 
— Enter Uncle Sam, armed and Republic. 
— Enter also the Kaiser armed preceded by Germania bound. 

Kaiser to Progress: I arrest you in the name of German 
kultur. You must be German or die, as we suffer nothing else 
to live. Progress shall be bound as a hostage as long as my 
reign is opposed. 

Progress: I refuse to recognize the authority of yourself 
or of false kultur. I join the cause of your enemies. 

Kaiser to Liberty: I, also, challenge Democracy. There is 
war to the death between the two conflicting ideals. 

Liberty: I accept the challenge, and shall neither ask nor 
give quarter. For three years you have felt my reply on a thou- 
sand battle fields, where you have found that millions prefer 
death to bondage. The old heroic spirit but slept, your frightful- 
ness has awakened it in refreshed strength. \ 

Kaiser to Father Time: Turn back the sands of time. I will 
be bound by no restraints of civilization. Away with the modern 
spirit of brotherhood ! From childhood, I have been influenced 
by five great men : Alexander, Caesar, Theodoric, Frederick, and 
Napoleon. Each dreamed of world empire, and failed; I dream 
of German world empire, and by my mailed fists shall succeed. 

Father Time: Germania, is this your ideal? Have you lost 
all your aspirations of justice, of democracy, of humanity? Do 
you willingly accept the policy of ruthless conquest? 

Kaiser: She dare not speak or think for herself. Through 
kultur we do both for her. She is to question nothing we do, 
but only to furnish us the gray hosts to die and the billions of 
wealth for our conquests. 

10 



Progress to Germania: I beg you to renounce kultur and 
again free, take your place in the sisterhood of nations. Until 
you oppose your war lords and deny the false philosophy of your 
military writers, you are an outcast. 

Liberty: Live in the light of the twentieth century and re- 
fuse longer to grope in the moral darkness of the middle ages. 
Wherever your armies go homes are destroyed, cities are de- 
spoiled, churches are desecrated ; to you no work of time or of 
genius is sacred. 

Father Time: Shall the nations upholding civilization itself 
welcome from across the sea their great sister nation, America, 
who hastens to join the ranks of the defenders of liberty? 
— (Enter, Belgia, French Republic, John Bull. Italia) — 

Song, Belgian National Air, one verse. 

Belgia to Republic: The choice was forced upon us between 
dishonor and almost annihilation. We, a peaceful people, chose* 
the path of honor and suffering. Humanity is appalled at our 
wrongs ; the nuirder, the slavery, the starved and orphaned chil- 
dren, the universal ruin! A shocked world refused to believe 
such atrocities possible at the hands of a civilized nation in the 
twentieth century. While we have lost all but honor, yet how 
it has cheered our sad hearts that France so nobly responded, 
and that England came with fleet and army to save. Later Italy 
is with us. Now comes to join the allies our great sister-nation, 
America, after aiding us so generously in sympathy and in sup- 
plies and by partly warding off the murdersous blows of the 
Huns. It cheers us all to greet her who joins us, not only to 
aid Belgium, but to help make the world free. 

Song, ^larseilles Hymn, one verse. 

French Republic: Welcome our sister Republic. For forty^ 
three years we lived under the shadow of German hate. We 
knew our old enemy was getting ready again to strike. After 
robbing us of our fair provinces and exacting a crushing in- 
demnity, she played with us as a cat with a wounded mouse. 
Treachery lurked everywhere, spies filled our cities, gun em- 
placements were built for the giant howitzers. When she be- 
came fully ready, again she sprang. Noble little Belgium offered 
herself the supreme sacrifice. Never was offering more holy. 
Our men and women responded to duty's call. Beautiful Paris 
seemed doomed, but men performed prodigies of heroism and 
the Marne saw a stunned foe staggering back foiled. "They 
shall not pass," uttered through clenched teeth at \'erdun was 
prophetic. Then welcome America ! We loaned you LaFayette 
and our fleet and now you repay us in the world's most holy war 
that democracy may live. 

11 



Song, God Save the King, one verse. 

John Bull: In spite of Germany's * 'preparation for peace," 
in spite of spies and deception, England could not believe in the 
impending danger. That a sister-nation with words of friend- 
ship would deliberately prepare to "run-a-muck" among the 
peaceful nations to murder and rob, is too far from the ideals 
of the fair-minded English to be taken seriously. So, when fully 
prepared, Germany sprang, expecting that we, lost to all shame 
and honor, would also consider a solemn treaty a "mere scrap of 
paper," we were caught with a ''contemptible little army." That 
noble little army was sacrificed, but the fleet was ready and has 
stood for the defense of civilization against piracy. Our colonies 
rushed to our side and last and greatest of all has come to join 
us, America, our loved child, lost to us through the folly of a 
mad German king who then muttered on the throne of England. 
Welcome as comrade in the noblest war ever waged for hu- 
manity. 

Song, Royal Italian March, one verse. 

Italia: We who played so important a part of old in his- 
tory, in art, in romance dream no longer of a dead past, but 
now keep step with modern progress. Like America, we sought 
to remain neutral ; Italy, like the great Republic, cannot remain 
neutral when might attacks right. 

Song, verse of America. 

Republic: Washington's weak isolated nation was not the 
world power of our nation of to-day. We love peace, the '*man 
on horseback" does not appeal. We feel that any fair nation 
can live in peace with honest neighbors without having to stag- 
ger under the crushing burden of a great standing army. We 
were not prepared to act promptly when Germany, startling a 
peaceful world, sprang to arms and started her conquest through 
hate, savagery and piracy. While dazed at the audacity, we 
hoped that reason and justice might prevail and that as a neu- 
tral nation America might l^e of service to humanit^^-. Our for- 
bearance was mistaken for cowardice. From the start our sym- 
pathies had to be with the soldiers of civilization. 

Kaiser to Republic: It was no affair of yours. Germany is 
a law unto herself. 

Republic: No longer can any nation live unto herself. A 
criminal nation is a common outlaw. 

Kaiser: Necessity knows no law. Germany was fighting for 
her existence. 

Republic: The democratic world could not stand quietly by 
and see you conquer and rob the free nations in detail. 

Kaiser: Out of regard to America, I agreed to refrain form 
sinking passenger ships without giving warning. 



12 



Republic: Yet even this little concession to humanity was 
soon ignored. 

Kaiser: England tried to starve us. 

Republic: And you tried to wreck the non-German world, 
even if Germany herself became lost in the wreckage. 

Kaiser: It is not to your interest to fight. You can make 
money and be the better prepared for the war after the war. 
While you can offer to your people only a defeat or a barren 
victory, I offer my leaders royal favor in the way of titles of 
nobility and great estates in as yet unconquered lands. 

Republic: You utterly fail to appreciate the motives of a 
free people. You are an enemy of the race and America is no 
slacker. 

Kaiser: The two nations have always been friendly. 

Republic: Yet, wdiile you posed as a friend and while we 
were still neutral, you blew up our factories, burned our build- 
ings, wrecked our shipping; you plotted here against friendly 
nations ; your propaganda is so audacious as to be stupid. Only 
when the nation was united behind our wise ])resident and it 
was demonstrated that solely by force against unscrupulous 
force could the mad-dog be subdued, did we accept the state of 
war. 

Kaiser: The Germans in America are a credit to your na- 
tion. Why offend them? 

Republic: Most of them, like those who came in 1848, have 
come to find that opportunity and freedom denied them in Ger- 
many. 

Kaiser: You dare not attack Germany : our submarines will 
sink your shipping, drown your troops and shell your cities. 

Uncle Sam: The submarine itself is an American invention: 
Yankee ingenuity will help conquer this instrument of piracy. 

Kaiser: Persist and five hundred thousand German reserv- 
ists in America wall arise at my command. 

Uncle Sam: Then in the words of Gerard there are five hun- 
dred and one thousand lamp posts in America on which they 
will be hanged. 

Kaiser: You are not a military nation, then how can your 
untrained leaders compete with myself and the Crown Prince 
and Von Hindenburg? 

Uncle Sam: The Crown Prince is a great asset to the 
Allies. In final outcome we will trust Foch, Haig and Pershing. 
Democracy may be slow, it finally wins. 

Kaiser: England is making a cat's paw of you. 

Uncle Sam: England has been a true friend to America. 
We glory in calling her mother. Her fleet, dedicated to right 
and humanity, has made it possible to maintain the Monroe Doc- 

13 



trine in the face of German aggression. At Manila, her fleet 
stood by Dewey, and then prevented a war with Germany. 
— (John Bull draws near U. S.) — 

Kaiser: I can see why France and Belgium and England 
should each fight for her life, but you, separated by an ocean, are 
in no immediate danger. 

Uncle Sam: We at least recognize our ultimate danger. 
You get no indemnity from America. 

Kaiser: Why not keep your hands off ? We will starve 
England, conquer France, and by a strong German peace soon 
stop this cruel war. 

Uncle Sam: Such a peace would be only a short lived 
truce. Free England and France will never be Germany's vas- 
sals. Germany, drunk with blood and power, would prepare to 
complete the world's conquest. Then, why let the noble nations 
who are fighting for true ideals be crushed that we later may 
be attacked singly? 

Kaiser: Why did you sell our enemies munitions? 

Uncle Sam: That we might, as a neutral, comply with 
international law. We were glad to do even so little for our suf- 
fering brothers who were dying that we might be free. 

Kaiser: You did not observe our blockade. 

Uncle Sam: A paper blockade deserves no respect.. We 
do not apologize that we have accepted a state of war, but rather 
that we so long remained at peace, while you outraged human- 
ity and murdered our citizens, as on the Lusitania. 

Kaiser: I even agreed to let some of your ships, if properly 
marked, pass the blockade. 

Uncle Sam: America does not have to ask Germany when 
and how she may sail the high seas. Her ships do not have 
to be marked as criminals. We submitted so long to your piracy 
because of your promises partly to safeguard the lives of the 
victims of your murderous attacks. You sank hospital ships, 
ships of mercy bound from America to the starving of Belgium, 
made so by your brutality. Then came the new fleet of subma- 
rines, when you threw off all restraint. 

Kaiser: We could not aft'ord to let America bring defeat to 
our submarine plans. 

Uncle Sam: Eternal justice had already condemned your 
fiendish plans. We fight for a world in which the ambition of 
a few war lords shall not crush and degrade all mankind, for a 
world in which the man is held more sacred than the machine, 
the system or the state. The world longs for peace, not a Ger- 
man peace, but a just peace; when Germany ceases to be auto- 

14 



cratic, the war will end. Until then, America places on the altar 
of freedom, her wealth and her choicest treasure, her manhood. 
A league of nations will then kill militarism and bring to the 
world true brotherhood with peace — A Wilson Peace. 

— The end. — 



The North American Bird and Nature Study, illustrated by 
color-photography, takes the place of an expensive cabinet and 
is far more available. It is an organism for the most effective 
visuaHzing work in the school, whether the lesson be in draw- 
ing, in language, in nature study, in agriculture, or in science. 
The 460 pp. manual, compiled by specialists, arouses a broad in- 
terest in nature. The ''study" consists of 49 sheets, 24x34 inches, 
25 of which treat of our native birds. 

Why not bring out the KAISER'S TEMPTATION, making 
of the occasion a patriotic community affair? Use a part of the 
proceeds in equipping your school with chart and donate the 
balance to war charities. The publisher will then be pleased to 
donate a reasonable number of copies of the play. Others may 
be purchased and sold as special programs. 



15 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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